Improved brick-machine



PETER J. sMITILoII PIIILAnIILrIeIIA,4 PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Pttttttlvo. 77,224, dated Apt-tz l2s, 1868.

'Inrsovnn BsIcK-IIAGIIINE.

filip Sagitta nitriet tu' 4ia tigen irtia tant ma nwltugprrt nf tigt rante.

TOALL WHOM I-'Il MAY CON CERN: I

Be ittknown that I, PETER J.' SMITH, of Athe city and county of Philadelphia, in the AState of ,Pennsylvania have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machinery for Making Bricks, of which the following` sa full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had tothe 'accompanying drawings, which-.make part of this specification, and in whichl i vFigure 1 represents a plan or top view of a machine embracingmy improvements, and- Figure 2 a v'ertical'longitudinal section through the same, at ,the line a: a; of' lig.' 1.

It is the object of my invention to produce smooth, lirni'bricks by automatic mechanism; andi to this end the' improvements herein claimed consisti First, in a novel construction oi" the device for removing thebricks from the machine as they lescape from the mould.

Second, in a novel me'thodtot' combininga reciprocating mould, a piston, andan oscillating lifting-beam, with a plate arranged above the mould, and an inclinedplane'to act upon thelifting-beam, wherebythe bricks are compressed in the mould'during its reciprocatiom Third, in a novel method of combining an openended box or frame,.a reciprocating mould-frame, pistons, a hopper and 'a plunger, with a'reciprocating' clearer, which sweeps od' the nished-brioks discharged from the mould. i i

In the accompanying drawings, which show: one convenient way of carrying ont the object of my invention, the mechanism is shown as mounted in a-strong frame, consisting of'a bed-plate, A, two side plates A2, and a top plate, A1. These parts form a box, (open at both ends,) in which the moulding-apparatus reciprocates hori zontally. This frame is Asupported in any proper ymanner at the requisite height.

A horizontal driving-shaft, b, is mounted in suitable bearings near. one end of. the frame, across which 'it extends transversely. This shaft may be driven by a crank, b', or in any other well-knownway. A spur-wheel, B, on lthis shaft, drives a corresponding pinion, C, 'on a crankshaft, c,moi1nt ed in suitable bearings underneath the frame, beyond which it projects at each side. I

The top plate A1 has an opening in itscentre, over whicla; hopper, E, is placed. This hopper has a daring month and parallel sides.

t A sector-shaped plunger, D, which works snugly in the body of the hopper, swings freely on a cross-head,

d, vibrating in cnryed guides d, attached to the sides of the hopper. Eachvend of the cross-head is connected with a' crank, c1, on the crank-shaft c by a pitman, c2. The plunger is .guided in its descent into the hopper by vertical bars e. A

A moulding-frame', F, is arrangedto reciprocate horizontally in the frame on suitable ways, and carries a. set of moulds, f, at each end. The top of the moulding-frame reciprocates in close contact lwith the'under side of the top plate A1. The moulding-frame is reciprocated by means o f a crank, g, on the driving-shaft (a. This crank has a slight degree of play in a slot, g, in a pitman; G,`pivoted to the centre of a vertically-rocking radius-bamG, the lower end of which is pivoted to the 'bedplate A, while the upper" end is pivoted to one end of a link-rod, G2, the other end o f which link-rod is pivoted to the mould-board, l

Plungers or pistons H are arranged toplay freely in the moulds These plungrs rest loosely on arockingcarrier,I, pivoted centrally to the under side of t' the moulding-frame by a shaft, z'. A'tripping-arm, c", on-this shaft, strikes against stops or studs i?, on the side platesA2, when the moulds reach the end of ltheir stroke, and rock or reverse the carrier.

In order to carry the moulded bricks away from the moulds, I use a double-acting reciprocating skeleton sliding frame or clearer J, sliding pn tle top plate A, embracing the hopper, and having an overhanginglipor 'ange, j, at each end to push olf the completed bricks, as they are thrown up Aby the moulds. This clearer is reciprocated by means of tappets or wipers k 7c, on the driving-shaft b -whichlwork in a camguide or loop, k,

on a radius-bar, K, pivoted at its lower end tothe ,bed-plata-and at its upper end to a pitman, K', which is Asupplied with suitably-tempered clay in any well-known way.

pivoted toa shiftinglever, -kiy'rocking vertically on a stud on Vone of the side plates A, parallel to which it moves. The upper end ofr this shifting-lever works between studs k3, on the clearer,'placed somewhat farther apartthan the thickness of the shifting-lever, for the purpose of .allowing the-lever to move a short distance without moving the clearer.

The mode of operation of` the machine is as follows Supposing fthe parts ,to assume the position shown in the drawings, and lthe drivingwhecll to revolve `in the direction indicated by the arrow, the hopper is to'be The hopper having been snpplied'with clay s'uiicient to ill the moulds beneath it, the plungerv descends and forces theclay into the moulds. During the descent of the plunger, it will be observed that the crimk g and tappets c c are moving forward and upward, and consequently, as the clearer J, and ymoulding-frame F are at the extremity of their forward movement, they remain stationary while this movement takes place. After pressing the clay'in the moulds, the plunger rises rapidlyas its cranks `c are on the quick part of their upward sweep.

The plunger rises andl moves backward in its guides so as to tip its front edge,and`thus leave roomfor a'. new supply of clay to enter the moulds while making avery short stroke.l 'By the time thel bottom of the4 plunger rests above the top plate A1,- the crank, y, has reached the back part of the slot g', and asl this crank is now on the lquick part of the backward sweep, the m'ouldingffraine is drawn rapidly backward, while the plu-ngercrauksbeing just on their centres, hold the plunger nearlystationary.

As the moulds are drawn back, the carrier I strikes an incline, a', on thebed-plate, and is slightly raised,

thus forcing up the pistons H, and compressing the bricks in the moulds against the under side ef-the top plate-A..

The pistons rest loosely on the carrier or lifting-lever, but'are not' connected with it, by which-mode of construction the carrier slides across`the ends of the pistons without forcing them to one side, as it wouldido if they were rigidly connected.

,As'soon as the moulds have emerged from therbox 2, the tripping-lever t strikes the pinjand rocks the carrier I, thus forcing up the pistons and expelling the moulded bricks.'

` The other ,set of mouldsdis now under thehopper. The plunger descends rapidly to'force'the clay into them, but the mouldingframe remains stationar'ya moment as the crank g passes its dead-centre, and also moves backward Vin its slot g.

,The tappet c now acts upon the rear side of its loop c, and, through its connecting-link rods K', .moves the clearer J quickly backward. The flange j of thisclearer pushes the bricks from the moulding-freine on to a table ,or upon an endless-apron or other cont'rivance, for conweying them away. The samc'process is repeated during the reverse movement of the moulding-frame. I

It will thus be seen thatat each stroke of the moulding-frame, a set of compressed bricks ismade.- It is obvious that the number of moulds-may be varied to suitthe requirements ofthe work to b'e done; and also hthat the details rof' construction of the several parts maybe somewhat modified, without departingl from the subject of my invention, A

j What I claim as my invention, and' desire t'o secure by Letters Patent, isi 1'., The reciprocating double-acting skeleton clearer J, arranged and operating substantially as set'forth.

2; Thecombination, substantially as set forth, of a. reciprocating molild, a piston, and an oscillating-carrier, with atop plate, A1, and an inclined plane, a', whereby the bricks are compressed during the discharge-movementV bf the mould, as set forth. l i .f 3. The combination, substantially asset forth, of an open-ended box, areciprocating mould-frame, pistons H, a hopper, E, and a plunger, D, with a reciprocating clearer, which sweeps oif the bricks discharged by the -moulds.

In testimony whereof, I have Ahereunto subscribed my name.

' PETER J. SMITH.

Witnesses:l i

WM. B. DAYTON, JOHN A. 0;. J. SMITH. 

